Free Pattern Friday: Heart of the Home Crochet Pattern

Well, since I have been practicing with my Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine, here’s another crochet with fabric pattern for all of you. Maybe with this pattern, I’ll have luck with completing the coaster. It would be instant gratification. I think I’ll use some of my Amy Butler fabrics. Tell me about the fabrics you like to use in your crocheted fabric or does it matter?

Look at me practicing my fabric cutting!

Thanksgiving and Crochet

Every year, my mom vows that this year will be her last year of having Thanksgiving at her house. She tried it one year, but her grandchildren complained so loudly that it just wasn’t Thanksgiving without going to Grandma Kingery’s house, that she hasn’t tried it since. I know my mom will continue to cook the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy as long as she can. Of course, everyone else brings something. I think I’ve mentioned that we have a very large family, and there are usually at least fifty people off and on at her house throughout Thanksgiving Day. As for my mom, she always says, “The more the merrier.”

Last year, Sarah (one of my many nieces and two of her sister-in-laws, I guess they are my niece-in-laws) thought they would like to learn to crochet. And, of course, I’m always ready to teach someone as I always have my trunk yarn with me, and I always have extra hooks, just in case. Before two hours were up, all of them had learned to crochet, and two of them had decided that they were going to make hats. So I showed them how to crochet in the round and increase. The other one was content to crochet back and forth for a while longer. I’ll make sure I ask them this year if they are still crocheting, I can hardly wait. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and be safe.

And if you’re looking for a great book for teaching yourself or someone else to crochet, check out—I Can’t Believe I’m Crocheting. You can get it at the Soiree Store.

Surprise in Sacks from Quilt Show in Houston

I know you all have been wondering what was in my sacks from the Quilt Show in Houston. Well….I had a few minutes and finally took this out of the box.

The Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine

This is the coolest gadget. You can make strips of fabric from 3/8" up to 2-3/4". The really cool thing about it is the blades are not sharp, and you can use the Rotary Cutting Machine for paper, too. It also comes with a perforated blade and makes a pinking sheered edge to your fabric or paper. The folks from Simplicity warned me that it takes some practice, and I can see where it will take some patience on my part. I should know from my crochet experience that old saying “Practice Make Perfect” is true. Well, I need some more practice. So I’ll keep practicing and talk to you later because this is addictive.

My Flower Scarf Project

When I first started teaching crochet at the yarn shop “Twist”, I kept petting all the yarn. I’m really attracted to the cottons and cotton blends. I love all the color choices, and the yarn this scarf is made from was no exception. This yarn kept calling to me every time I walked by it. The yarn is from Berroco, and it’s called “Love It”. It is 58% cotton, 38% Acrylic, and 4% Polyester, so it has a little bit of a stretch to it.

I kept looking at this yarn and thinking that with crochet anything you make takes quite a bit, and this yarn only has 120 yds in each skein. Usually, when I want to try out a new yarn, I just make a scarf. So that is what I decided to do.

I picked the skein that had some turquoise in it and just started making doubles back and forth. What I love about this type of variegated yarn is that you never know what color is going to end up where. I think I’ve said before that double crochets are mindless for me, and that’s why I chose that stitch, plus I was thinking that I could teach this in one of my classes if it was simple enough.

I really didn’t set out to write the directions for this scarf, but when I decided to add flowers to each end, Shelly (the owner of the yarn shop) loved it so much that she told me I needed to hold a class and offer the pattern. So that’s what I did and taught a small group of women to crochet this scarf. I had fun making it, designing it, writing the directions, and teaching it.

Look What My Mom Gave Me

My mom told me that she had something for me last weekend. Little did I know that she had the very same pot holders that I was talking to you about the other day when we featured the “Kitchen Drawers” designs for Free Pattern Friday. My mom had saved the pot holders from my Aunt Erma and Grandma Kingery and gave them to me. I almost cried when I saw them.

My mom said, “You might want some of them or might not want any of them.”

“Are you kidding me, Mom? I want all of them, and I’ll cherish them forever.”

If these pot holders could talk, I’m sure they could tell a good yarn. Ha! Ha! There’s even a pair of little drawers kind of like the free Friday pattern.

Free Pattern Friday: Mitten Time Crochet Pattern

When I saw the crochet pattern for these mittens, I thought of instant gratification, and I had been wanting to try my hand (no pun intended) at making a pair for a long time. Plus, I had one skein of this funky striped medium weight acrylic yarn that I hoped would be enough to make them from. I’m glad that I have short hands, or I wouldn’t have had enough. So make sure you go by the pattern and get the recommended amount of yarn.

It was so much fun watching the hand form and the bobbles were so easy. There are no seams, and the only time you have to thread a yarn needle is to gather up the thumb end and weave in the ends. I know some of you don’t use a needle to weave in ends.

I think you’ll have fun making these for all the members of your family. There are sizes for a child and adult. I can hardly wait to start another pair, and I can’t wait to see what colors you come up with.

Guess What I Found

When I was looking for my Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt, I found these:

These were made from more of that Lion Brand Cotton-Ease yarn. I think this is the last of the things that I made with that yarn. I still can’t find the quilt though. I’m trying to figure out how I could lose my grandma’s quilt when I just saw it not too long ago. It has to be here somewhere. Maybe under some of that stash yarn? I’ll let you know when I find it.

Does anybody else out there do things like this? I put things away and think that I’ll remember where I put them, and I’ll go to look for them and not be able to find them. I think I’m losing my mind sometimes. Oh well, have to get back to my crocheting and thinking about where I put that quilt.